London Writers' Salon

#064: Madeleine Milburn — Catching an Agent's Eye & Building an Author-First Agency

Episode Summary

Literary Agent Madeleine Milburn on her route into agenting, the common mistakes she sees in submissions, and what she think sets a writer apart in the query process

Episode Notes

In this episode, we speak to award-winning literary agent Madeleine Milburn (founder of the Madeleine Milburn Film, TV, & Literary Agency. In this conversation with Madeleine, we take a peek behind the scenes into the queries Madeline receives at the agency; she reveals the common mistakes she sees in submissions and what she think sets a writer apart in the query process.

ABOUT MADELEINE MILBURN

Madeleine Milburn is on the committee of the Association of Authors' Agents (AAA). She has appeared on The Bookseller's list of the 150 most influential people in the book trade every year since 2017. Since founding the agency in 2012, Madeleine was awarded Literary Agent of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2018 and was shortlisted again in 2020.

She has been responsible for discovering some of the highest-selling and award-winning contemporary authors who consistently hit the bestseller lists in the New York Times, including author Nita Prose (The Maid), Costa Book Award winner and multi-million copy bestseller Gail Honeyman (Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine), Ashley Audrain (The Push), Elizabeth Macneal (The Doll Factory), Fiona Barton (The Widow), Beth Morrey (Saving Missy) and Holly Bourne (Am I Normal Yet?) She represents multiple bestselling crime and thriller brands, too, including C.L. Taylor, C.J Tudor, Mark Edwards and Teresa Driscoll.

RESOURCES:

Follow Madeleine Milburn:

Website

Agency Instagram